Education construction
New-build and refurbishment for schools, academies, colleges and universities, delivered around the academic year, on live sites.
Cornerstone Group delivers education construction for schools, colleges and universities across the North West and the UK. Working with academy trusts, local authorities and higher-education estates teams, we understand what makes these projects distinct: academic-year deadlines, construction around live, occupied sites, and design decisions shaped by curriculum and safeguarding.
Whether you’re planning new school buildings, refurbishing existing schools or developing higher-education facilities, we manage every phase in-house (design, planning, construction and interior finishing) with civil engineering covering the groundworks, drainage and infrastructure that underpin every build.
The education settings we build
Our expertise spans the full range of institutions, from early-years facilities to university campus developments.
Primary & secondary schools
New-build and refurbishment, including extensions, specialist teaching spaces and sports facilities.
Academy & free schools
New academies and refurbishment programmes for trusts and local authorities, aligned to DfE requirements.
SEND & SEN schools
A distinct specialism: sensory design, safeguarding, staff needs and the spatial requirements of SEND learners shape every decision.
Further & higher education
FE colleges, university buildings and student accommodation, delivered within working campus environments.
Delivery built around your school schedule
Construction on a live school site carries obligations an empty plot doesn’t: lessons continue, students and staff are present, and governors and parents expect to be kept informed. Our programme is built around the academic year, with phased schedules, defined hoarding strategies and noise-management windows to keep disruption to a minimum. Early contractor involvement means programme and cost risks are resolved before they delay your project, with our project managers working alongside your estate and client teams from day one.
Sustainability & energy efficiency
The decisions made during construction affect running costs for decades. We build in energy efficiency as standard: high-performance insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, solar PV and low-embodied-carbon materials, and as commercial roofing contractors we make the envelope watertight and thermally efficient first. Our approach aligns with the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, for buildings that are cheaper to run and more comfortable for students and staff.
Why choose Cornerstone Group?
End-to-end delivery
From architectural design and planning through construction, interior finishing and handover, we manage every phase: one team, one point of contact.
Built to last
Education buildings take heavy daily use. We specify durable materials, and our structural engineering team reviews every frame and load-bearing element so the building performs safely for decades.
Spaces that reflect your institution
Good school design expresses your ethos, supports your curriculum and shows your values. We take time to understand what makes your school distinctive before a single design decision is made.
Across the North West & UK
Well placed to support education projects across the region and nationally: responsive site management, faster mobilisation and a team that understands the local authority and Trust environment.
Guides and project stories.
GuidesCommercial solar payback explained: what affects it and how long it takesHow commercial solar payback works, what drives it, from daytime demand to roof condition, and how we model yours before you commit.Read the article 
GuidesBattery storage for business: when it makes sense and what it deliversWhen commercial battery storage makes sense, how it lifts solar self-consumption and how it keeps your business running through outages.Read the article 
GuidesShould you re-roof before installing solar? The case for doing both togetherWhy roof condition matters before solar, how a combined roof and solar project works, and the warranty when we fit the roof and the solar.Read the article Power your business with solar.
Our renewables team designs, installs and maintains commercial solar, storage and EV charging across the North West and the UK.
School projects, without the disruption.
Can't see your question here? Our team is happy to talk it through.
Can you build on our site while the school is open?
Yes. Our programme is built around the academic year, with phased schedules, defined hoarding strategies and noise-management windows to keep disruption to lessons, students and staff to a minimum.
How do you approach safeguarding on education projects?
Safeguarding is built into how we work, and it shapes design decisions alongside your curriculum. We take time to understand your setting before a single design decision is made.
Do you have experience with SEND schools?
Yes, SEND and SEN schools are a distinct specialism for us. Sensory design, safeguarding, staff needs and the spatial requirements of SEND learners shape every decision.
Is your approach aligned with DfE sustainability requirements?
Yes. Our approach aligns with the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy, building in high-performance insulation, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, solar PV and low-embodied-carbon materials as standard.
Who do you work with in the education sector?
We work with academy trusts, local authorities and higher-education estates teams across the North West and the UK. Early contractor involvement means our project managers work alongside your estate and client teams from day one.
Let's talk about your next project.
One call reaches the whole group. Tell us what you need and we'll bring the right teams together.
